1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to liquid consuming apparatuses and to control methods for liquid consuming apparatuses.
2. Related Art
Ink cartridges, which are removable liquid receptacles, are mounted in ink jet printing apparatuses, which are examples of liquid consuming apparatuses. The ink cartridges are each provided with an optical path member (a prism) for detecting an amount of ink when the amount of ink within the ink cartridge has dropped below a predetermined amount in some case.
For example, in the past art disclosed in JP-A-5-332812, an optical path member having a refractive index near that of ink is provided in an ink cartridge. When ink is full on the inner side of the optical path member, light from a light-emitting unit passes into the ink from the optical path member. On the other hand, in the case where the ink is empty on the inner side of the optical path member, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit is fully reflected at an inner surface of the optical path member, and the fully-reflected light is then detected by a light-receiving unit. Through this, the remaining state of the ink can be detected.
However, when printing a printing pattern in which the ink cartridge does not pass through the position of a detection unit (that is, a sensor position), the remaining state of the ink cannot be detected by the detection unit. Accordingly, there is a risk of blank printing on the paper or the like if the printing pattern continues to be printed.